Economics & Investing For Preppers

Today, in lieu of our regular column of Economics & Investing news items, I’m posting my retrospective on the long-term legacy of currency debasement in the United States. I chose to do so this week because Richard M. Nixon’s Day of Perfidy was 50 years ago, earlier this month.

The U.S.: 50 Years in Currency Fantasyland

It was 50 years ago, in August of 1971, that the United States finally severed its last vestige of a gold standard. This came when President Nixon announced that the Treasury “temporarily” ceased redemption in gold of U.S. Dollars presented by foreign governments. He blamed this move on “currency speculators”, but the real culprits were the over-spenders in the U.S. Congress.

Ever since August of 1971, the U.S. Dollar has been entirely free-floating, backed by nothing! So, for the past 50 years in America, we’ve been living in a currency fantasyland. Congress, the U.S Treasury, the Federal Reserve private banking cartel, and the U.S. Mint have all ignored all seven of the money clauses in the U.S. Constitution. For the past 56 years (since 1965) we haven’t had real “Dollars” or “money” as defined by the Constitution. Instead, we’ve had fiat currency. Many people use the terms money and currency interchangeably. But they really mean two quite different things. The free-floating so-called “Dollar” (Federal Reserve Note) has triggered massive waves of inflation.

No More Silver Dollars

Long before the last straw in 1971, our government began withdrawing from its bi-metallic currency system. In 1935, the U.S. Mint ceased minting any new 90% silver dollars for public circulation. (The Eisenhower “silver” dollar was minted from 1971 to 1974, but except for a few 90% silver ones made for special noncirculating proof sets, the “Ikes” were all 75% copper and 25% nickel.)Continue reading“Economics & Investing For Preppers”

The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

“The socialist ideal eventually goes viral, and the majority learns to game the system. Everyone is trying to live at the expense of everyone else. In the terminal phase, the failure of the system is disguised under a mountain of lies, hollow promises, and debts. When the stream of other people’s money runs out, the system collapses.” – Kevin Brekke

Preparedness Notes for Sunday — August 29, 2021

August 29th is a mournful day, as we remember the anniversary of the death of “The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the LORD, make straight in the desert a highway for our God.” – Isaiah 40:3. John, the Baptist, who heralded the first coming of our Lord and stood true to his belief in the face of death, was beheaded on this day in 29AD.

—

SurvivalBlog Writing Contest

Today we present another entry for Round 96 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round include:

First Prize:

  1. The photovoltaic power specialists at Quantum Harvest LLC  are providing a store-wide 10% off coupon. Depending on the model chosen, this could be worth more than $2000.
  2. A Gunsite Academy Three Day Course Certificate. This can be used for any of their one, two, or three-day course (a $1,095 value),
  3. A course certificate from onPoint Tactical for the prize winner’s choice of three-day civilian courses, excluding those restricted for military or government teams. Three-day onPoint courses normally cost $795,
  4. Two cases of Mountain House freeze-dried assorted entrees in #10 cans, courtesy of Ready Made Resources (a $350 value),
  5. A $250 gift certificate good for any product from Sunflower Ammo,
  6. American Gunsmithing Institute (AGI) is providing a $300 certificate good towards any of their DVD training courses.
  7. Two sets of The Civil Defense Manual, (in two volumes) — a $193 value — kindly donated by the author, Jack Lawson.

Second Prize:

  1. A Front Sight Lifetime Diamond Membership, providing lifetime free training at any Front Sight Nevada course, with no limit on repeating classes. This prize is courtesy of a SurvivalBlog reader who prefers to be anonymous.
  2. A Glock form factor SIRT laser training pistol and a SIRT AR-15/M4 Laser Training Bolt, courtesy of Next Level Training, that have a combined retail value of $589,
  3. Two 1,000-foot spools of full mil-spec U.S.-made 750 paracord (in-stock colors only) from www.TOUGHGRID.com (a $240 value).
  4. Naturally Cozy is donating a “Prepper Pack” Menstrual Kit.  This kit contains 18 pads and it comes vacuum-sealed for long term storage or slips easily into a bugout bag.  The value of this kit is $220.

Third Prize:

  1. Three sets each of made-in-USA regular and wide-mouth reusable canning lids. (This is a total of 300 lids and 600 gaskets.) This prize is courtesy of Harvest Guard (a $270 value)
  2. A Royal Berkey water filter, courtesy of Directive 21 (a $275 value),
  3. Siege Stoves is generously donating a SIEGE® STOVE kit, including a Titanium Gen 3 Flat-Pack Stove with titanium Cross-Members and a variety of bonus items including a Large Folding Grill, a pair of Side Toasters, a Compact Fire Poker, and an extra set of stainless steel universal Cross-Members. (In all, a $200 value.)
  4. Two Super Survival Pack seed collections, a $150 value, courtesy of Seed for Security, LLC,
  5. A transferable $150 purchase credit from Elk Creek Company, toward the purchase of any pre-1899 antique gun. There is no paperwork required for delivery of pre-1899 guns into most states, making them the last bastion of firearms purchasing privacy!

—

Round 96 ends on September 30th, so get busy writing and e-mail us your entry. Remember that there is a 1,500-word minimum, and that articles on practical “how-to” skills for survival have an advantage in the judging.

Painkillers and TEOTWAWKI – Part 2, by Anonymous

(Continued from Part 1. This concludes the article.)

I don’t pop pills to feel better. I rest. I have adjusted my surroundings to work for me. I have no problems turning down social offers if I know I can’t do them. I used to say “No, I can’t” and mumble an excuse, and now I simply say “No thank you!”, with a smile, and not feel the slightest guilt, nor do I have to explain myself to anyone. When the pain feels unbearable, I go into a reclining position and rest for as long as it takes for the pain to subside. You know the old saying, “unless you’ve walked in my moccasins…”. While I wish I was 100% drug free, I still take allergy medicine and OTC naproxen sodium. I carry with me an emergency inhaler should I ever need it.

DISCLAIMER: I do realize there are injuries, illnesses, and disabilities that require pain medications. I, in no way, begrudge anyone, nor do I advocate for withholding, pain medications from people who really need them. Deep, abiding, pain is something I don’t wish on even my enemies. I pray that those of us who can go without will extend grace, kindness, and assistance to those who need our help.

GETTING TO THE RIGHT DOCTORS

There are many illnesses that can be managed by diet, exercise, and environment, however there are some illnesses that absolutely require a traditional medical intervention. In my case, I researched all that I could by reading medical studies, not just articles about medical studies. It took me a long time to do this, but I kept at it until I understood as much as possible about my various bodily failures. I studied my blood test results and followed every detail until I understood what they meant. When I met with my doctors, I had a list of questions and concerns. Some doctors were better than others with their “bedside manners”. I had a particularly horrible experience with one doctor and would leave her office in tears, every time.

I joined a support group of people who had my particular kind of cancer and found the name of an expert who was highly appreciated by her patients. She was a literal lifesaver for me. I finally found an arthritis doctor who specialized in the type of debilitating arthritis I have. I even went to see the “psycho” therapists/psychiatrists that I was recommended to see. I’m sure they have helped people, but they weren’t helpful to me. The doctors always like to rule out “psychosis” when someone is experiencing multiple illnesses, just to make sure you aren’t making anything up! LOL. Actually, they’re there to help you navigate your emotional and intellectual way through serious illness. I didn’t find them helpful, personally. I just wanted answers. Not having answers was more frustrating to me than anything else.Continue reading“Painkillers and TEOTWAWKI – Part 2, by Anonymous”

JWR’s Meme Of The Week:

The latest meme created by JWR:

To share this, you can find it here: https://kapwi.ng/c/gbyNjcklkb

Meme Text:

Joe Biden: Making Talibanistan Great Again.

The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a net, that was cast into the sea, and gathered of every kind:

Which, when it was full, they drew to shore, and sat down, and gathered the good into vessels, but cast the bad away.

So shall it be at the end of the world: the angels shall come forth, and sever the wicked from among the just,

And shall cast them into the furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.” – Matthew 13: 47-50 (KJV)

Preparedness Notes for Saturday — August 28, 2021

August 28, 1833: Slavery was abolished throughout the British Empire.

—

SurvivalBlog Writing Contest

Today we present another entry for Round 96 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round include:

First Prize:

  1. The photovoltaic power specialists at Quantum Harvest LLC  are providing a store-wide 10% off coupon. Depending on the model chosen, this could be worth more than $2000.
  2. A Gunsite Academy Three Day Course Certificate. This can be used for any of their one, two, or three-day course (a $1,095 value),
  3. A course certificate from onPoint Tactical for the prize winner’s choice of three-day civilian courses, excluding those restricted for military or government teams. Three-day onPoint courses normally cost $795,
  4. Two cases of Mountain House freeze-dried assorted entrees in #10 cans, courtesy of Ready Made Resources (a $350 value),
  5. A $250 gift certificate good for any product from Sunflower Ammo,
  6. American Gunsmithing Institute (AGI) is providing a $300 certificate good towards any of their DVD training courses.
  7. Two sets of The Civil Defense Manual, (in two volumes) — a $193 value — kindly donated by the author, Jack Lawson.

Second Prize:

  1. A Front Sight Lifetime Diamond Membership, providing lifetime free training at any Front Sight Nevada course, with no limit on repeating classes. This prize is courtesy of a SurvivalBlog reader who prefers to be anonymous.
  2. A Glock form factor SIRT laser training pistol and a SIRT AR-15/M4 Laser Training Bolt, courtesy of Next Level Training, that have a combined retail value of $589,
  3. Two 1,000-foot spools of full mil-spec U.S.-made 750 paracord (in-stock colors only) from www.TOUGHGRID.com (a $240 value).
  4. Naturally Cozy is donating a “Prepper Pack” Menstrual Kit.  This kit contains 18 pads and it comes vacuum-sealed for long term storage or slips easily into a bugout bag.  The value of this kit is $220.

Third Prize:

  1. Three sets each of made-in-USA regular and wide-mouth reusable canning lids. (This is a total of 300 lids and 600 gaskets.) This prize is courtesy of Harvest Guard (a $270 value)
  2. A Royal Berkey water filter, courtesy of Directive 21 (a $275 value),
  3. Siege Stoves is generously donating a SIEGE® STOVE kit, including a Titanium Gen 3 Flat-Pack Stove with titanium Cross-Members and a variety of bonus items including a Large Folding Grill, a pair of Side Toasters, a Compact Fire Poker, and an extra set of stainless steel universal Cross-Members. (In all, a $200 value.)
  4. Two Super Survival Pack seed collections, a $150 value, courtesy of Seed for Security, LLC,
  5. A transferable $150 purchase credit from Elk Creek Company, toward the purchase of any pre-1899 antique gun. There is no paperwork required for delivery of pre-1899 guns into most states, making them the last bastion of firearms purchasing privacy!

—

Round 96 ends on September 30th, so get busy writing and e-mail us your entry. Remember that there is a 1,500-word minimum, and that articles on practical “how-to” skills for survival have an advantage in the judging.

Painkillers and TEOTWAWKI – Part 1, by Anonymous

Through a series of unfortunate health mishaps, I became quite disabled. I am better now (mostly emotionally), but it’s been a long, slow, slog, through the medical community seeking help, and relief. I will most likely never again be that bouncing bunny of energy I used to be. My daily routine is about managing my energy and pain levels. The better I get at that, the more likely it is that you will not even know of my suffering when you meet me. Hopefully, you will be greeted with a big smile, an encouraging word, and a warm hug. I don’t want the conversation to be about Me – how terribly boring. I want it to be about whatever wonderful things we can discuss or do together. In this article, I will share with you my journey to get off the pain meds and stay off them.

There are two reasons I think this is an important topic. Firstly, what happens when you can’t get the drugs your body has become dependent upon in order to function? Secondly, while the drugs mask the pain, their side effects include severe brain fog and loss of some bodily control functions. The pain killers sure feel like miracle drugs until you can’t get your prescription filled, or you find yourself shopping for Depends.

I’m not going to spend time here describing my various illnesses, but let’s just say “The old gray mare just ain’t what she used to be”, and leave it at that. I also want to state upfront, that I am not against traditional medicine – traditional medicine saved my life, at least twice. It’s very difficult to find the right team of doctors, and especially when you can’t think straight and are in a lot of pain with no energy and tolerance left. May God bless all of you who have been down that path! It works best when you have one or more Advocates, who have your best interest at heart, and who help you maneuver through “the system”. And best when a few of them stick by you for the long haul. I was very blessed to have several family members who basically took over my life for a period of time, got me to doctors’ offices, the infusion center, picked up prescriptions, kept track of the paperwork and insurance billing, shopped, and cooked for me, helped me bathe and brush my hair, and listened to me even when nothing I said made sense. I am forever grateful for them.Continue reading“Painkillers and TEOTWAWKI – Part 1, by Anonymous”

Editors’ Prepping Progress

To be prepared for a crisis, every Prepper must establish goals and make long-term and short-term plans. In this column, the SurvivalBlog editors review their week’s prep activities and planned prep activities for the coming week. These range from healthcare and gear purchases to gardening, ranch improvements, bug out bag fine-tuning, and food storage. This is something akin to our Retreat Owner Profiles, but written incrementally and in detail, throughout the year.  We always welcome you to share your own successes and wisdom in your e-mailed letters. We post many of those –or excerpts thereof — in this column, in the Odds ‘n Sods Column, and in the Snippets column. Let’s keep busy and be ready!

Jim Reports:

This past week I did quite a bit of wood cross-cutting and splitting. Our daughters helped me with toting and stacking the firewood in our main woodshed.  By the way, the photo is of me splitting firewood, way back in 1995. That was while I was building my first ranch house on 40 acres near Orofino, Idaho. I was 35 years old then. I’m now 60 — and a lot more gray — but I thankfully haven’t accumulated a gut. Now, over to Lily…

Continue reading“Editors’ Prepping Progress”

The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

“If thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the Lord thy God, to keep his commandments and his statutes which are written in this book of the law, and if thou turn unto the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul.

For this commandment which I command thee this day, it is not hidden from thee, neither is it far off.

It is not in heaven, that thou shouldest say, Who shall go up for us to heaven, and bring it unto us, that we may hear it, and do it?

Neither is it beyond the sea, that thou shouldest say, Who shall go over the sea for us, and bring it unto us, that we may hear it, and do it?

But the word is very nigh unto thee, in thy mouth, and in thy heart, that thou mayest do it.

See, I have set before thee this day life and good, and death and evil;

In that I command thee this day to love the Lord thy God, to walk in his ways, and to keep his commandments and his statutes and his judgments, that thou mayest live and multiply: and the Lord thy God shall bless thee in the land whither thou goest to possess it.

But if thine heart turn away, so that thou wilt not hear, but shalt be drawn away, and worship other gods, and serve them;

I denounce unto you this day, that ye shall surely perish, and that ye shall not prolong your days upon the land, whither thou passest over Jordan to go to possess it.

I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live:

That thou mayest love the Lord thy God, and that thou mayest obey his voice, and that thou mayest cleave unto him: for he is thy life, and the length of thy days: that thou mayest dwell in the land which the Lord sware unto thy fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give them.” – Deuteronomy 30:10-20 (KJV)

Preparedness Notes for Friday — August 27, 2021

August 27, 1917 was the birthday of American gun designer Robert Hillberg, who was best known as the designer of the C.O.P. four-barrel derringer, Winchester’s Liberator shotguns, the graceful Whitney Wolverine, and the Wildey .44 Magnum gas-operated pistol. He died in 2012.

—

Incoming! The Sun Fires-Off an ‘Earthbound’ CME. It is a Class 3, but it is still a good excuse to put all your spare electronics in your Faraday cans/cages/bags. If you have a grid-tied PV system, then it might be a good idea to throw the interconnect breaker to go independent for a while. It is also a good idea to disconnect your antennas for 48  to 72 hours, starting Sunday evening.

SurvivalBlog Writing Contest

Today we present another entry for Round 96 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round include:

First Prize:

  1. The photovoltaic power specialists at Quantum Harvest LLC  are providing a store-wide 10% off coupon. Depending on the model chosen, this could be worth more than $2000.
  2. A Gunsite Academy Three Day Course Certificate. This can be used for any of their one, two, or three-day course (a $1,095 value),
  3. A course certificate from onPoint Tactical for the prize winner’s choice of three-day civilian courses, excluding those restricted for military or government teams. Three-day onPoint courses normally cost $795,
  4. Two cases of Mountain House freeze-dried assorted entrees in #10 cans, courtesy of Ready Made Resources (a $350 value),
  5. A $250 gift certificate good for any product from Sunflower Ammo,
  6. American Gunsmithing Institute (AGI) is providing a $300 certificate good towards any of their DVD training courses.
  7. Two sets of The Civil Defense Manual, (in two volumes) — a $193 value — kindly donated by the author, Jack Lawson.

Second Prize:

  1. A Front Sight Lifetime Diamond Membership, providing lifetime free training at any Front Sight Nevada course, with no limit on repeating classes. This prize is courtesy of a SurvivalBlog reader who prefers to be anonymous.
  2. A Glock form factor SIRT laser training pistol and a SIRT AR-15/M4 Laser Training Bolt, courtesy of Next Level Training, that have a combined retail value of $589,
  3. Two 1,000-foot spools of full mil-spec U.S.-made 750 paracord (in-stock colors only) from www.TOUGHGRID.com (a $240 value).
  4. Naturally Cozy is donating a “Prepper Pack” Menstrual Kit.  This kit contains 18 pads and it comes vacuum-sealed for long term storage or slips easily into a bugout bag.  The value of this kit is $220.

Third Prize:

  1. Three sets each of made-in-USA regular and wide-mouth reusable canning lids. (This is a total of 300 lids and 600 gaskets.) This prize is courtesy of Harvest Guard (a $270 value)
  2. A Royal Berkey water filter, courtesy of Directive 21 (a $275 value),
  3. Siege Stoves is generously donating a SIEGE® STOVE kit, including a Titanium Gen 3 Flat-Pack Stove with titanium Cross-Members and a variety of bonus items including a Large Folding Grill, a pair of Side Toasters, a Compact Fire Poker, and an extra set of stainless steel universal Cross-Members. (In all, a $200 value.)
  4. Two Super Survival Pack seed collections, a $150 value, courtesy of Seed for Security, LLC,
  5. A transferable $150 purchase credit from Elk Creek Company, toward the purchase of any pre-1899 antique gun. There is no paperwork required for delivery of pre-1899 guns into most states, making them the last bastion of firearms purchasing privacy!

—

Round 96 ends on September 30th, so get busy writing and e-mail us your entry. Remember that there is a 1,500-word minimum, and that articles on practical “how-to” skills for survival have an advantage in the judging.

 

WTSHTF: What Will the Police Do?, by Gramthar’s Hammer

Full disclosure: I am one of them. Or I was one of them, to be more accurate. I’m retired now, so I spend my days watching the lawn grow and pondering various “what-ifs”. One of these gedankenexperiments is: “What if the wheels come off the wagon and the police are no longer guardians of peace. What would the police do if they became hungry and angry, just like the masses.” My wife thinks I should get a hobby, to which I answer I already have one: prepping.

For 27 years I worked in law enforcement for several agencies. Most of my career was spent at the federal level, but not all. I worked in the pacific northwest, the coastal south, and the upper Midwest. I worked in both rural areas and major population centers. I traveled internationally as part of my job and observed how my counterparts operate in Thailand and South Africa. I base the following perspectives on the totality of my experiences- the training, the personal relationships, and basic knowledge of how law enforcement (LE)  operates.

I attended five police academies – nearly two years of my adult life were spent in formal training environments. Most smart people in law enforcement only attend one, maybe two academies but ambition, restlessness, or frustration propelled me to jump ship to different agencies several times. I spent the first third of my career as a uniformed patrol officer and the remainder as an investigator, in both covert and overt capacities. I was a firearms instructor for many years and continue in this role on a part-time basis in retirement. I mention this history so you understand how my background influences my thinking.

The following is my personal opinion and nothing more. I represent no agency nor ever will again.
Let’s imagine a scenario where daily norms have taken a sudden turn for the worse. The power grid becomes unreliable, supply chains are stressed, the threat of civil war looms on the horizon, foreign adversaries become more menacing in their threats and actions, the cost of food increases 3% every month, health care systems are overwhelmed and criminals are exploiting gaps in public safety due to defunded and demoralized police. Just a couple of years ago, all of this would’ve seemed awfully far-fetched, right? But how about now?

So what happens to the police when the crashing waves get bigger and bigger until the castle of sand we know as society washes into the sea? How should a prepper approach both planning and the actuality of limited police, no police, or even illegitimate police?Continue reading“WTSHTF: What Will the Police Do?, by Gramthar’s Hammer”

Economics & Investing For Preppers

Here are the latest news items and commentary on current economics news, market trends, stocks, investing opportunities, and the precious metals markets. We also cover hedges, derivatives, and obscura. Most of these items are from the “tangibles heavy” contrarian perspective of SurvivalBlog’s Founder and Senior Editor, JWR. Today, we look at Bitcoin regaining $50,000. (See the Forex & Cryptos section.)

Precious Metals:

I just noticed the silver to gold ratio has slipped back down to 76.26-to-1.  So this is a good juncture for you to ratio trade some of your gold into silver.

And to reiterate a point that I made earlier this week: All that it will take is the mass media adopting the term “American Hostages” to the current Afghanistan debacle, and precious metals will jump more than 10% overnight. And if the “Hostage Crisis” drags on, then plan on 30% to 40% gains. – JWR

o  o  o

Commerzbank sees gold price pushing to $1,900 by year-end, moving $2,000 target to next year.

o  o  o

Gold Surges Back Above $1800, Erases Payrolls/Flash-Crash Losses.

o  o  o

How Much Will Silver Be Worth If the Dollar Collapses? 2021 Edition.

Economy & Finance:

At Zero Hedge: Million-Dollar Listing Spike Sparks Jump In US Existing Home Sales In July. JWR’s Comment: Clearly, The Smart Money crowd sees the top, and trouble ahead.

o  o  o

A Liberty and Finance video interview: Nightmare Crash & Foreclosure Crisis — Alasdair Macleod. (The inflation discussion begins at the 12:40 mark.)

o  o  o

Futures Rise As Jackson Hole Looms, Dollar Slides, Bitcoin Surges.

Continue reading“Economics & Investing For Preppers”

Preparedness Notes for Thursday — August 26, 2021

August 26, 526, is the official anniversary of the invention of toilet paper by the Chinese. We celebrate this, though not because of its convenience. In fact, it has many shortcomings, some which are described within the articles and letters of SurvivalBlog. Our celebration of it is primarily because we now have an official metric of just how hard core of a prepper you are as well as a metric for just how economically unstable your country is.

—

August 26, 1946 was the official release date of George Orwell’s “Animal Farm.”

—

Today we present a guest article by Jack Lawson. It is not eligible for judging in the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest because the author is a prize donor for the writing contest. (Jack kindly donates copies of his comprehensive two-volume book: The Civil Defense Manual.)

Round 96 of our writing contest ends on September 30th, so get busy writing and e-mail us your entry. Remember that there is a 1,500-word minimum, and that articles on practical “how-to” skills for survival have an advantage in the judging.